Michigan Battle Cats

This page is a profile of the 1997 Michigan Battle Cats, a Single-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox and a member of the Midwest League. The profile was first published in early April and was revised periodically; this final revision was completed in early September.

Post-Season Wrapup

Had the Red Sox left the original pitching staff with this team, they might have given West Michigan a respectable chase; instead, the Sox kept moving the best pitchers up. This was a very good hitting team--perhaps the league's best, overall--but the pitching, while not awful, wasn't dependable.

Any team which sends outfielders John Barnes and Dernell Stenson, second baseman Jim Chamblee, and third baseman Wilton Veras to the plate four or five times a game is likely to score some runs. Outfielder Rontrez Johnson usually set the plate for these guys. No hitter starting in this lineup was weak.

The Cats started the season with some exceptional pitching arms, most of whom were promoted. They were replaced with other good arms, and some of those were promoted. Many of the remaining pitchers showed promise, but they're young, or erratic, or injured. Closer Raffy Betancourt's darn near impossible to hit. Germaine Hunter and Curt Romboli worked middle relief effectively. Starter Matt Kinney pitched well. But the other starters had good games, then bad games.

July Evaluation

This team's pitching has been weakened considerably by callups; they've gotten some value in return, particularly in the middle infield. The team hits well, with outfielder John Barnes and second baseman Jim Chamblee standing out; outfielder Corey Jenkins has real power. The best pitchers are probably Chuck Beale, now moved to the starting rotation, and Rafael Betancourt, a converted infielder who's taken over Beale's closer role in the pen. The remaining pitching mainly has good skills but no single pitcher stands out.

June Evaluation

The Battle Cats are now hitting pretty well, but the pitching's been crippled by promotions. Second baseman Jim Chamblee had a spectacular month, although John Barnes remains the team's best hitter and would-be MVP. None of the pitching staff is both proven and healthy; the team's best pitchers have been either promoted or injured.

May Evaluation

Strong pitching and decent hitting; though the hitting's concentrated too much in three or four batters. The Red Sox are clearly recruiting arms, these days; these guys throw really hard. Outfielders John Barnes and Dernell Stenson would be standouts on a team with good hitting; in this context, though, they're pretty much the entire offense.

April Evaluation

The Cats have decent, but unexceptional, pitching; the hitting is best described as unbalanced. They are the MWL's least aggressive team on the basepaths.

Where they played last season

Most of these players spent last summer in Lowell, with some assistance from the GCL Sox. This is a young team; the pitching has real potential, but I'm inclined to call the hitting suspect.

Some of these players played for two teams last summer and are counted twice in this chart. One player was not playing professionally last summer; another played for a team in an independent league; a third was with another organization.

The Midwest League plays Single-A, professional baseball in America's agricultural and industrial heartland. 16 teams play a 140 game schedule which begins in early April and ends Labor Day weekend.

Disclaimers:This website is a private project and has no official relation with or sanction from the Midwest League or Minor League Baseball.
The opinions expressed on this page are mine, and are worth about that.